Walking Words

Walking is simple, free and one of the easiest ways to be active. It can improve your mood and help reduce stress alongside a whole host of other health benefits.  So join us in celebrating National Walking Month in May with one of these narrative travel books about walking, all available to borrow from Inspire Libraries. Simply click on each title to find a copy on our online catalogue, and have it delivered to your local library for just 30p!

The Salt Path by Raynor Winn
The most well-known author in this genre is Raynor Winn, whose first book The Salt Path, describes her and her husband Moth’s adventure in walking the South West Coast Path as they become homeless just as Moth is diagnosed with a terminal illness.  This tale of hope, endurance and the natural world became a standout bestseller, as have the sequels The wild silence and Landlines.

Walking the Great North Line by Robert Twigger
Robert Twigger, in his book Walking the Great North Line, offers an insight into ancient sites within modern Britain, as he walks straight north from Stonehenge to Lindisfarne.  The Observer called this “an extended ramble, literally, which becomes a consideration of life, family and the nature of beauty.” 

Waypoints by Sam Heughan
In Waypoints, actor Sam Heughan explores both his personal heritage and the wild Scottish landscape as he sets out along the West Highland Way in a journey that is both physical and one of self-discovery.

Lost in the Lakes by Tom Chesshyre
Acclaimed travel writer Tom Chesshyre is back mid-April with another fascinating hardback, featuring the Lake District seen from its walking paths - with just a backpack, an open mind... and a spring in the step as he sets forth in a "big wobbly circle" around the Lakes, drawn onwards by the dramatic scenery that attracts more than 19 million visitors each year.

The Downhill Hiking Club by Dom Joly
For something further afield (and funny) try Dom Joly’s The Downhill Hiking Club – the adventures of Dom and his friends Chris and Harry walking across Lebanon.  The three men, with no walking experience, don’t quite know what they’ve let themselves in for, as they travel across Dom’s homeland in a banter-filled but insightful memoir described as “three men on a camel…without the camel.”

Wanderers by Kerry Andrews & Windswept by Annabel Abbs

A bit like the buses, there are two recent books on inspirational women walkers throughout history: Kerry Andrews – Wanderers: A History of Women Walking and Annabel Abbs – Windswept – Why Women Walk.  Despite the similar topic, both writers explore the subject of different way.  We’d be interested to know which is your favourite if you read them both!

A Walk from the Wild Edge by Jake Tyler

One book that has been making strides recently is Jake Tyler – A Walks from the Wild Edge.  With plaudits from Zoe Ball, Matt Haig and Bryony Gordon, the book describes Jake’s 3000 mile walk around Britain on his road to recovery from depression.  A new edition with an extra bonus chapter is due out later this month. 

The Heath by Hunter Davies
You don’t need to travel for miles to get pleasure from walking. Hunter Davies (bestselling author of ‘The Co-op’s Got Bananas’) has spent nearly 60 years exploring London’s Hampstead Heath.  In The Heath: My Year on Hampstead Heath, Davies records his walks over one year, and his conversations with the diverse array of people he meets in an affectionate portrait of an iconic urban green space. 

The Lost Paths by Jack Cornish
Due to be published in hardback in May, this is a celebration of the ancient network of hundreds of thousands of miles of paths across England and Wales, which Jack has spent the last five years of walking, to reclaim what has been lost and preserve it for future generations.